buckle moving inexorably closer.
A hand caught hers, tugging her up. She tried to fight, her movements sluggish and flailing.
“Hannah!” Riley’s voice tore through the fabric of her nightmare, dragging her into consciousness with shocking speed. Her whole body buzzed with adrenaline, making her tremble.
Riley’s hands cradled her face, his gaze intent. “Are you okay? You were crying out.”
She dropped her head against his shoulder, pressing her nose into the curve of his neck. She breathed deeply, filling her lungs with his tangy scent. “I’m okay,” she said, her voice muffled against the collar of his T-shirt.
He brushed her hair off her cheek. “Nightmare?”
She nodded, hoping he wouldn’t pull away. It wouldn’t hurt to cling a moment, would it? At least until the shivers eased.
He edged over, sliding onto the bed beside her. Tucking her against him, he waited patiently for her to relax. The silence between them was comfortable, she found to her surprise. She had not thought of him as someone who could provide much comfort, no matter how good his intentions.
“I’m okay,” she repeated a little while later, afraid she’d tested his patience too long. She sat away from him, brushing her hair back from her damp face.
“Do you remember what you dreamed?”
She didn’t really. Only the nagging sense that she’d seen something important lingered with her.
“You cried out as if you were afraid.”
“I was,” she admitted. “I just don’t know why.”
She couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or not. He was good at hiding his feelings. He had turned on the lamp by the bed, casting a warm glow on the shadowy room. She must have slept most of the day, for outside the window the sky was dark and the room had grown uncomfortably chilly.
Riley crossed to the wood stove in the corner and added wood and kindling. The dying embers flickered to life.
When he turned back to her, the wary look in his eyes drove away the memory of their earlier ease. Though she couldn’t read his thoughts in his shuttered expression, there was no softness there, only a tense watchfulness that made her skin prickle.
He sat beside her on the edge of the bed, his gaze searching hers, as if he wasn’t sure she was telling the truth about not being able to remember. The silence between them became anything but comfortable, the air in the small bedroom crackling with electric awareness.
Looking away, she swallowed hard and tried to remember whatever it was that was hovering just on the outer edges of her memory. There had been fear. Darkness.
“A snake,” she said, her voice faint.
“A snake?”
She looked up and met his quizzical gaze. “The man who attacked me. I remembered what was on his silver belt buckle. It was a rattlesnake.”
Chapter Six
“She thinks it’s in the shape of a rattlesnake, or some sort of snake.” Riley spoke softly into his cell phone, intensely aware of his brother-in-law moving around in the guest bedroom just down the hall.
“That’s not exactly a unique design,” Joe warned.
“It’s more than we had,” Riley said. “Can we put someone on it, get some pictures for Hannah to choose from?”
“Needle in a haystack,” Joe said tightly.
“More than we had,” Riley repeated.
“I’ll put Jane on it. She’s been wanting to do something besides sit home waiting for the baby to come, and it’s safer than the patrol job she’s been trying to talk me into.”
“Thanks.”
“How’s it going now that Jack’s in town?”
“A little harder than I’d planned. But so far, so good.”
Of course, he still had a long night alone with Hannah in his bedroom to look forward to.
Hearing the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway, he rang off with Joe and turned to find Hannah standing in the kitchen doorway, her dark hair tousled and her eyes soft with sleepiness. Though her gray sweats hid her tempting curves, she still fired his blood in a way no woman had since Emily’s death.
What the hell was going on with him? Why her, why now? He couldn’t have chosen a worse situation-or woman-to rediscover that he was still a living, breathing, healthy male.
She hovered in the doorway. “I could fix something for dinner,” she suggested, her raspy voice sending a shiver of pleasure skating down his back. “I mean, I’m not a great cook or anything, but I’m pretty good with a can opener.”
Her wry smile made her green eyes sparkle, and Riley had to look away.
“You’re still recuperating.” His voice came out gruff.
“I’m not sick.” She sounded defensive in response.
He looked up, annoyed with himself and the way this whole situation was spiraling out of control. But before he had a chance to apologize, Jack walked up behind Hannah and put his hands on her shoulders.
She gave a start, but Jack calmed her quickly with a gentle squeeze. “How about I handle dinner?” he suggested, guiding her into the kitchen. “I’ve been dying to try out a chili recipe I got from a saucy little
Riley squelched an unwelcome rush of irritation at his brother-in-law’s easy familiarity with Hannah. “I don’t know if you’ll be able to find chili fixings here. I haven’t done a lot of grocery shopping recently.”
“I drove to town while you two were resting.” Jack arched an eyebrow at Riley, grinning when Riley scowled in response. He crossed to the cabinet and pulled out a large canvas bag full of his purchases. “You know, that little place on Canyon Road has a really good fresh-produce stand. I had to pay a pretty penny, but it’ll be worth it.” He turned to Hannah. “How are you with a chopping knife, gorgeous?”
Hannah smiled, clearly pleased to have something to do besides lie in bed. She took the knife Jack handed her and went to work chopping onions and peppers.
Riley watched her deft hands make short work of the vegetables. “You’re good with a knife.”
She looked up with a start, her knife slipping and nicking her knuckle. “Damn it!” She sucked her knuckle between her lips, her forehead wrinkling.
“I’m sorry-” He grabbed a couple of paper towels from the dispenser and ran them under the tap. Taking her hand, he dabbed at the blood to check how badly she’d cut herself.
“It’s nothing,” she said. But she didn’t pull her hand away as he applied a little pressure to the shallow nick.
“I’ll get a bandage.” Jack set aside the beef tips he was seasoning and headed toward the bathroom.
“I told you I wasn’t much of a cook,” she said, her cheeks flushed and her lips curved with a rueful smile.
“I startled you.” They stood so close he could smell the apple soap she’d used when she’d showered earlier. The scent reminded him of spring-fresh, crisp and full of promise.
Her green eyes darkened. “I guess I’m still jumpy.”
His blood simmered, slow and hot in his veins. He’d forgotten the feel of fire licking low in his belly and pulsing hunger drumming in his chest.
“Here we go.” Jack returned to the kitchen with the first-aid kit Riley kept in the bathroom. He eased Riley aside and pulled out a tube of antibiotic ointment.
As Jack bandaged Hannah’s hand, Riley crossed to the back door and pushed aside the faded curtain, looking out into the deepening blue of nightfall. A chill wind rolled down the mountains, rattling the door. He was tempted to step outside, into the bitter breeze, and let it cool his burning thoughts.
How was he going to make it through a night alone with Hannah Cooper without losing his mind?
